Wednesday’s Rugby News has concerns about contracts, the ARU hoping for a new rugby calendar, Cheika spinning his diplomatic magic and Fisher quitting.
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New Contracts On Hold
Australian Super teams are being asked to delay signing Australian players who aren’t Wallabies, the Canberra Times reports.
With an eye to the SANZAAAAAR’s Big Meeting on Friday, the ARU has been quietly asking the franchises to hold their hand.
As the report says:
“Teams can still start informal talks with players and give an indication of whether or not they will be offered a new deal, but the contract process will be be put on hold until officials settle on a preferred structure.
“But those on the Wallabies outer must wait to find out if their respective clubs are on the chopping block to determine their individual futures as officials consider a major Super Rugby revamp.”
If a team is cut – and if that is so, it will be one of the Brumbies, Rebels or the Force – that will mean there’ll be around 30 players looking for a new club.
This means that the likes of Jarrad Butler, Aidan Toua and James Dargaville (members of the Brumbies’ squad – remember this a Canberra Times article after all) will have to wait a little bit longer to get their expiring contracts sorted.
The article also adds:
“The Waratahs and Reds will avoid the axe because they are in Australian rugby strongholds, but it was decided the only fair way to deal with the uncertainty was to ask all franchises to hold off on official recruitment and retention.”
No word yet as to whether Australian Super sides have been asked to also delay signing NPC journeyman.
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ARU Hope For Calendar Change
The ARU are hoping that the June test window will be finally shifted to July, putting an end to the mid-season climax-breaking international window intrusion into Super that currently exists.
The June test window has only really been getting in the way since the switch to Super 15 back in 2011, and ARU deputy chair Brett Robinson is hoping it can be set right at a World Rugby meet in Dublin (happening over the next days).
“One of the issues we have with Super Rugby is the mid-season break,” Robinson said, according to The Age. “We aim to push back the in-bound tours to allow us to have a continuous Super Rugby season.
“That’s something we have been lobbying hard for and I think we are gaining some real momentum.
“We met with the French clubs and the English clubs because they have a huge influence on the northern hemisphere’s position on those things.
“That is progressing positively. I would hope we would get to a great outcome this year in terms of announcing a change around that.”
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Cheikissinger, Master Diplomat
Michael Cheika is trying his best to lure Kurtley Beale back from England, giving the centre ol’ sneaky glance and turn-away giggle.
“I think if you look at Beale before, he wasn’t starting,” Cheika told rugby.com.au. “He was hole-fixing, but I think it will be different for him this time.
“I’ve got a clear vision of what I want him to do within the team.”
“I know it’s only been a year- but in that year there’s been a big change in the Wallabies squad as well. He’ll come back with a slightly different stature I’d say. I want him to then play accordingly.”
Henry Cheikissinger went on.
“We’ve said we want him to come home, this is what we think his place in the team is and then he’s got to assess that,” he said.
“Whatever happens, it’s (his contract) going to be less than he gets offered at Wasps, that’s for sure, based on what he got offered last time – even they just did that same thing again.
“When a player wants to commit and say i’m coming back here or I’m staying here, I know I’m going to get paid less but I’m buying into this vision, that’s what we want to have,” the master diplomat continued.
“And then, if we lose some I understand that too but I don’t hold that against them. They might come back later on, who knows?” Oh, Cheika you scamp!
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Reel Him In
Australian rugby’s bucket-hat wearing coaching genius, Laurie Fisher, is looking likely to come back home where he belongs after quitting his day job at Gloucester. As reported on Monday, Fisher more or less quit his job on twitter.
So reports the Brisbane Times, which also adds that while Fisher will no doubt be chased by all Australian Super teams. Funnily enough, there’s a chance Fisher could replace his former co-coach Stephen Larkham at the Brumbies.
(On that topic, according to the article the Brumbies will begin interviews for the position next month – quick get your CV in!)
The article also says that the Michael Cheika tried to lure Fisher to the Wallabies in 2014, but alas the bucket-hatted one had already signed a deal with Gloucester.
Regarding Fisher’s leaving of Gloucester, the English club released this short statement:
“Gloucester Rugby can confirm that head coach Laurie Fisher has left the club with immediate effect. Fisher met with club officials over the past 48 hours and it was mutually agreed that he would leave his position.”
Want to learn more? Hitting up the man himself on Twitter seems to be a decent idea:
@paders85 Destination unknown James but will be via home for sure.
— Laurie Fisher (@LordLaurie58) March 7, 2017
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